Beadle's Dime Library No. 384 — page 9: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

Injun Dick, Detective. Que »- ser this hyer racket to-night it strikes me that New York is ‘bout as dangerous a wilderness as a man kin git lost in.” ‘*It certainly appears like it. that?” The exclamation was caused by a pungent odor which suddenly ponrecer the atmosphere of the apartment, and at the same time a fine mist began to fall upon the faces of the two. ‘Going to kill us with kindness, eh, Dick?” Bowers suggested. ‘Squirting cologne onto us, kinder preparing the lamb; for the sacri- lice, ‘‘T hope these galoots aint the same bad- looking crowd w’ot wa‘ arter us on Broadway,” the veteran added, reflectively. “Why so?” ***Cos I would like to start my Eastern grave- ard with better-looking men.” ‘*Chloroform!” said Talbot abruptly, now penetrating the design of the midnight prowl- ers, ‘‘ Upon my word, we must have run into the biggest kind of an outfit for such a game as this to be tried on us. “ Don’t you see the dodge, Joe? By means of the transom and a syringe with a fine rose on the end of it, the drug can be deposited on our faces until we are lulled into insensibility, and then it will be an easy job to get into the room and get away with us.” ‘T’s a bully plan and would be apt to make the riffle ninety-nine times out of a hundred, but we’re Injuns and don’t count. ‘* Whew! ain’t the stuff strong? Say, Dick, if this keeps on we shall ‘smell worse than a couple of pole-cats.” “We must get out of this, for it’s getting too strong to be pleasant. Can you get up quietly and get to the corner of the room furthest from the window without making any noise!” ‘** You bet! a cat is a fool to me when it comes to a dodge of that kind.” ** Go it, then.” With the utmost caution the two crept from the bed to the floor, and as noiseless as a pair of unquiet ghosts, made their way to the corner of the room indicated by Talbot. It was right behind the door, and as they took the precaution to creep across the floor close to the wall, it was impossible for any one peering through the open transom, to either detect the manenver or discover the inmates of the room after the movement was accom- plished. ‘** Now, then, 1 think we have got the dead- wood on them,” Talbot remarked. ** Yes, he did rather play it on us, but I reck- on we will return the compliment and turn the tables on him in a way that he will despise in a minute or two,” Talbot replied, in the same cau- tious tone, ‘*Cap, hadn’t we better turn on the as to be able to see w’ot we are about? one of the intruders. ‘* Yes, strike a match and light the gas,” re- lied the soft-spoken youth whom the pards iad known by the name of Smithers, thus re- vealing the fact, which the two had previously suspected, that he was the leader of the party. **'You need not be afraid of waking our birds, for their next waking will be in the other world, and I’ve no doubt that they will be very much astonished to find themselves there,” the young man continued. ‘**But that is the way we do business in the East, and these Westerners who are not smart enough to be up to our tricks, ought not to ven- ture amid the jungles of civilization.” The rest of the gang chuckled hoarsely at this observation. ‘*They think it is a most excellent joke now, but they may have reason to change their minds the moment the gas is turned on,” Talbot whispered in Bowers’s ear. ** You bet!” responded that worthy, One of the gang struck a match and lit the as, And the moment the light flashed forth, the tableau revealed was certainly a striking one. Rising to their feet, just as the light dispelled the darkness, with their leveled revolvers the two pards ‘‘ covered” the intruders, who were clustered by the open door. As the two had anticipated, the three ruffians with Smithers, were the same fellows who had dogged their footsteps in Broadway. The midnight marauders were taken at a most decided disadvantare. Not one of them displayed any arms, and they gave a gasp of astonishment as they glared upon the Westerners. ‘** How are you?” quoth Talbot. ‘ Quite a sur- Brisa pera isn’t it? ** You didn’t give us the proper warning that you intended to call, but we are ready to re- ceive you all the same. ‘* We children of the frontier, the sons of the wilderness, may not be quite up to the dodges of you Eastern sharps, but for all that, you can bet all you are worth that it is a cold day when we get left.” ‘Yes, that is the kind of hair-pins we air,” Bowers chimed in. Hallo! what's glim so ” asked ~ Yes, sir; we have the biggest kind of a ** Pilgrims, you will please to observe that we bulge, have got the bulge on you in the worst kind of Hardly were the two safe in their new quar- ters when there was a movement on the part of the men without. They evidently believed the stupefying dru had produced its accustomed effect and lullec the senses of the supposed sleepers into a stupor so dense that they could not be awakened by or- dinary means. And now that the inmates of the room were disposed of, they were about to effect an en- trance to the apartment, By means of a pair of “nippers” as the strong pincers used by arininad™ burglars are call- cd, the key in the inside of the lock was turned from the outside, and from the transom, with a stout wire, the bolt of the door was shot back, The pards watched these proceedings with a great deal of interest, and from the ease and celerity with which the trick was achieved, g t a good idea of the accomplished manner in which the expert Eastern “ cracksman” per- forms his work. The door opened noiselessly and dark figures stole into the room. “TI believe there’s four of them instead of three,” Talbot whispered to Bowers; he was judging by the sound of the footsteps, for it was too dark to distinguish the forms of these nocturnal visitors, ** We've got em’ dead to rights,” said a hoarse voice, ** Ob, yes, the job has been worked to perfec- tion,” replied another, in tones that both the pards instantly recognized. It was the open-mouthed Mr, Smithers who spoke. ee Make an end to both of them by strangling,” he continued, ‘*and be careful not to leave any more marks than possible. , ‘‘Then turn on the gas, so it will look as if they blew it out and were suffocated by it dur- ing the night. These fellows will furnish a good item for the newspapers to-morrow, : More greenhborns dead through blowing out the gas.’” way,” Talbot continued. ‘ These seven-shooters are self-cockers, and both my pard and myself are dead-shots. ‘**'We haven’t attended an Eastern funeral for years, and are rather curious to see if you plant people here now the same as you used to, so if you are not wise enough to surrender quietly, we'll be apt to plug you for keeps.” If ever baffled, impotent rage distorted human countenance, if had full play now. But the leader of the gang for all his youthful appearance and apparent greenness was evident- ly a man of desperate resolution and determined ways. It was he who had lit the gas, and his hand yet lingered on the cock of the burner, and just as Talbot concluded his speech, evidently real- izing that every word the Westerner had ut- tered was true, and the tables had been turned in the most complete manner, he, with a single movement of his thumb and finger, extinguished the gas, and again the room was plunged into utter darkness. ‘** Run for your lives, boys!” he cried. He had come to the conclusion that discretion was the better part of valor, and as there wasn’t any hope of getting the best of the well-armed pards in an open fight, to retreat as fast as pos- sible was the only alternative. “Tf you attempt to move, we'll fire!” cried Talbot, sternly. Our hero was not prepared for this trick, and was, in a measure, surprised by it. He hated to open fire on men who, instead of making an attempt to fight for their lives, were trying to get out of the scrape in which they had involved themselves by taking to their heels in the most cowardly manner, True, they were nothing buta set of dastardly murderers, and deserved to be put to death, yet for all of that, bold Injun Dick had no mind to act as their executioner. His words of warning, however, did not have the effect which he had anticipated, for instead = stopping the stampede they only added to i _ It went against the grain to fire upon the flee- ing scoundrels, yet reflecting that it was his duty to wing one or two of them, so that in the . , grip of the law they would be forced to reveal “Wor a cold-blooded cuss,” Bowers whis- | why it was that the murderous attack had been pered in Talbot's ear. ‘‘ Durn my buttons if he | made, Talbot discharged his revolver, and Bow- don’t go ahead of any Western rustler that I ers, who had come toa similar conclusion, fol- ever run across, and who would have thought | lowed suit. it of sich a durned innocent cuss who looked as The yells of agony that followed the shots green as grass, and talked as if butter wouldn’t | proved conclusively that one if not both of the melt in his mouth?” bullets had found a billet. CHAPTER XII. A A REVELATION. NT f a a en eee ee ee ee eee a i J | 9 Talbot sprung to the gas, and striking a match, illuminated the apartment. Now that one or two of the murderous hand had been secured, he hated to continue the at- tack, for it seemed to him too much like mur- der to pursue defenseless, fleeing men, although there wasn’t any doubt that they richly desery- ed to die. By the time the gas was turned on all of the corridor, with the exception of one unfortunate fellow who had been unlucky enough to receive a revolver-ball in the thigh that rendered loco- motion impossible. He had gone down all in a heap in the gee! just outside the door, and was cursing his ill-lue in the most savage fashion. It was not * Mr. William Smithers,” as Tal- bot had been uncharitable enough to wish when he had heard the yells of pain which indicated that one of the bullets had taken effect. The wounded man was a young tough with a most forbidding countenance, and the way in which he cursed Talbot when that gentleman ap- proached him was enough to make the hair of godly men stand on end. Injun Dick had heard some wild and whirling words in his time, but amid all the wild scenes of the West he had never encountered a ruffian who could outswear this desperado, Talbot was quick to act, He realized that it would be only a waste of time to attempt to parley with such a foul- mouthed scoundrel, and so after a hasty glance. along the corridor to satisfy himself that there wasn’t any chance of overtaking the ymtigren, | ruffians, he went up to the prostrate man an clapped his revolver to bis head, just as if he intended to blow out the fellow’s brains upon the instant. This was a move that the other had not anti- cipated, and he literally trembled with fear, the blood forsaking his face until it was as white as a sheet, ‘* For Heaven’s sake don’t murder me in cold blood!” he whined, in the most abject state of fear. ‘“T’ve got my death-wound now, and if you've any heart in your breast you might let a man die in peace, and give him time to say good-by to his friends,” **Much time you intended to give us, you in- fernal scoundrel!” Talbot replied, both voice and face stern, no trace of mercy to be discover- ed in either. ‘“Tt wasn’t me,” the fellow protested, “T hadn’t anything ag’in’ you. I only came with the rest of the gang.” ‘Exactly, and now you must suffer for being in bad company.” And Talbot pressed the cold muzzle of the re- volver against the temple of the trembling rough. ‘Mercy, merey!” he pleaded, ‘J didn’t know what they were a-going to do. The Cap said there was fun afoot, and so I had to ccme in with the others. I ain’t got anything ag’in’ you. Why should I have? You're a stranger to me, I never saw you afore.” * You lie, you scoundrel!” the other replied, promptly, ‘‘ You dogged the footsteps of my- self and friend on Broadway tonight. You needn’t attempt to lie out of it, for I caught you at the trick.” ‘** Tt was the boss’s orders, and I had to do as I was told,” the man protested. ‘*That’s a lame excuse!” Talbot exclaimed, contemptuously. ‘‘ How do I know that you are not the boss?” ‘*Oh, I swear to you that I ain’t.” “You kin believe every word he says, Dick,” Bowers observed, sarcastically. ‘' He’s a Sun- day -school man, he is.” < Wes the captain, as you call him, here to- , ves.” ‘The young fellow with the smooth face and the Jong hair, who calls himself William Smith- ers? ‘*That’s the boss, though I don’t know what name he’s a-traveling under,” ‘“« What is his true one?” The man hesitated, and Talbot perceiving it, put the screws on bim at once, ‘*Give me bis name or ['ll blow your brains gato the instant!” he cried, in determined ac- cents, ‘* There isn’t a chance for you to escape in- stant death except by speaking. Give his name and I'll let you go free.” ‘** He'll kill me if I squeal on him,” the man whined. ‘**T most certainly will kill you if you don’t, so you can take your choice.” The fellow saw that Talbot was thoroughly in earnest and so whimpered out: ‘ He’s the Cracksman King, Malachi Ever- Both of the pards were surprised, for though they had surmised that this bitt r attack upon them was probably inspired by the man upon whose trail they were pressing so hotly, yet they did not guess they had come in direct con- tact with him. Hardly had the revelation been made when there came a yell of “Fire!” from the lower ruffians had disappeared in the darkness of the’ MIGDOOKS (E(0) (C (E(0) ) Ss